Investigation continues into suspicious fire in Overbrook neighbourhood

Three people, including two children, remain in critical condition after a devastating apartment fire in the Overbrook neighbourhood.

It happened at a high-rise building at 1244 Donald Street on Thursday morning.

Residents remain shaken after hundreds were temporarily displaced by the blaze. It's not clear how many are still not able to go home.

For Emily Loo, it's a tragedy that is difficult to talk about. She was able to return to her unit with her wife and cats after being temporarily displaced.

"There was just so much chaos. My best friend and I were trying to get everybody out and our fur babies and, we had tried going down one stairwell, and there was just so much smoke," said Loo.

It's a similar situation for the hundreds who live in the area.

Police tape sections off the property where the Ontario Fire Marshal's office and Ottawa police are gathering evidence for the arson investigation.

"We're processing the scene to obviously determine the cause and origin of the fire and gathering any information that may that will lead us to establishing the cause," said Stephan Dubuc, an investigator with the Ontario Fire Marshal's office.

"Hopefully, those three people that are in the hospital that they recover very soon. And hoping for a speedy recovery for them and praying for them," said Kamal Hossain, who lives in the building.

A sign posted outside the door states the elevator remains out of service.